Why Ban Cricket Cheerleaders?

Cheerleaders perform for the Delhi Daredevils in Dharamsala, May 19, 2012..

The interim president of India’s cricket board Monday issued a plan to clean up the Indian Premier League, which has been rocked by a spot-fixing and betting scandal, but he may want to rethink his priorities.

Jagmohan Dalmiya has put forward 12 proposals as part of “Operation Clean Up,” prompted by a scandal that has embroiled three players, several bookmakers, an actor and two men involved in the management teams of IPL franchises. They deny wrongdoing.

The scandal even led to the temporary resignation of the cricket board’s president, with Mr. Dalmiya stepping into his place until an investigation is complete. Given the nature of the crisis, the goal of “Operation Clean Up” should be to combat illegal betting, primarily by taking steps to distance players from the nefarious influence and activities of gambling rings.

It is odd, then, that one of the main proposals to stop the scourge of illegal betting is to ban cheerleaders.

At the risk of stereotyping, cheerleaders are hardly renowned as conniving financial masterminds or as the knuckle-breakers of the Mumbai underworld. The biggest scandal involving cheerleaders in the six-year history of the IPL came after one had – oxymoron alert – published a secret diary online. In it, she “dramatically revealed” that some international cricketers were flirtatious.

This is hardly the stuff that threatens the very core of the sport. Spot-fixing, however, is. And that is the issue that the Board of Control for Cricket in India should be addressing first and foremost. Cheerleaders, no matter your opinion on whether or not they belong in the IPL, are unrelated to the corruption problem.

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Pune Warriors cheerleaders in Jaipur, May 13, 2012.

It’s like blaming gun crime on the easy availability of swords, or bad traffic in Delhi on roadworks in Singapore.

Perhaps Mr. Dalmiya, who wasn’t available for comment, doesn’t like the idea of cheerleaders in the IPL. He wouldn’t be alone given the relatively conservative nature of the country. And that’s fine. But why drag them into the mess that has led cricket fans to question if what they see on a cricket pitch is a genuine competition or a fix between a handful of greedy players and a network of bookmakers?

That’s surely much sleazier than the idea of women, often dressed in traditional Indian clothes, choosing to dance and entertain some fans at cricket stadiums. They’re not pole dancing in front of kids; they’re waving pompons and doing occasional high kicks.

But, according to reports, the first point of “Operation Clean Up” is phrased like this:

“Removal of sleaze; no cheerleaders, no after-match parties for players and support staff.”

The second half of the proposal isn’t entirely invalid, given that police have said cricketers were approached by bookmakers and fixers at after-match parties. But fixers will just find another avenue. Meanwhile, players who want to unwind – and there are plenty who do – will find a way, at sanctioned parties or not.

But why stick the cheerleaders in the list?

Here are the 12 proposals for “Operation Clean Up,” as widely reported in Indian media. In a statement Monday, the BCCI said it would invite suggestions to “ensure that that IPL is conducted in the best possible manner.” A meeting will be held soon to finalize the “action plan,” it added.

1. Removal of sleaze; no cheerleaders, no after-match parties for players and support staff.

2. Strict code of conduct to be followed by players, support staff and franchise owners.

3. Restriction of movement in players’ dug-out and dressing room. The owners from now on will be restricted from entering the dug-out and dressing room during matches.

4. All players and support staff of franchises need to furnish their telephone numbers with the BCCI before the start of the tournament.

5. Adequate number of ACSU (Anti-Corruption and Security Unit) officials in the team hotel as well as the ground to supervise the proceedings.

6. Jamming of cellphone towers at the ground during matches.

7. Captains’ meeting to be held in order to get more suggestions and prepare elaborate blueprint.

8. No national selector will be allowed to get associated with any franchise in any capacity.

9. All the players need to disclose every financial transaction they are carrying out with any particular organisation or person.

10. Franchises need to furnish all details of the remunerations and contractual obligations of players and support staff.

11. Players from now on will be prohibited from using ear plugs and microphones.